NVAP Reference Guide: Notifiable Diseases and Conditions

An accredited veterinarian shall immediately report to both the Veterinary Official (VO) and the State Animal Health Official all diagnosed or suspected cases of a communicable animal disease for which a APHIS has a control or eradication program in 9 CFR chapter I, and all diagnosed or suspected cases of any animal disease not known to exist in the United States as provided by §71.3(b) of this chapter.

Report any suspicious clinical or necropsy findings accompanied by a history of people or animals that have recently returned from a foreign country and report any disease of unknown etiology causing high mortality or morbidity. Most States provide a list of reportable diseases that should be used to supplement the list of reportable diseases that follows. Contact your SAHO for such a list.

You should be suspicious of the following:

• High morbidity, high mortality;
• Severe abortion storms of unknown etiology;
• Severe respiratory conditions;
• Vesicular lesions;
• Pox or lumpy skin conditions;
• Poor or no response to treatment when response is expected;
• Atypical findings at necropsy;
• History of foreign travel, foreign visitors, or receipt of foreign parcels;
• Recent importation of animals, embryos, or semen;
• Undiagnosed encephalitic (CNS) conditions;
• Larvae (maggots) feeding on living tissue;
• Avian disease with acute deaths or CNS signs;
• Unusual myiasis or acariasis (exotic flies, mites, ticks, etc.); or
• Unusual or unexplained signs of illness.

Guidelines

If you suspect a highly contagious foreign or reportable disease (e.g., foot-and-mouth disease, classical swine fever, highly pathogenic avian influenza), phone the VO and the State Animal Health Official directly from the farm or premises (see your Federal listing in appendix B and your State listing in appendix C). Have the following information available:

• Producer or owner name, address, county, and phone number;
• Directions to the farm or premises;
• Complete clinical history;
• Number and species of animals affected, and number and species of animals susceptible;
• Conditions you may have already ruled out;
• Any treatments given and response noted; and
• Contact information for you, including your name, address, and relevant phone numbers.

The following diseases listed by OIE are considered by APHIS to be foreign to the United States and must therefore be reported.

• Notifiable Diseases and Conditions

In addition to the preceding diseases, the following VS program diseases are reportable diseases even though they are not foreign to the United States:

• Aujeszky’s disease (pseudorabies)
• Bovine tuberculosis
• Brucellosis (Brucella abortus)
• Brucellosis (Brucella suis)
• Chronic wasting disease
• Equine infectious anemia
• Equine viral arteritis
• Scrapie

Please note that other disease entities (e.g., Johne’s disease) may be reportable at the State level. Check your State listing of reportable diseases.